EU announces new Belarus sanctions after activist's trial

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union on Friday tightened sanctions on Belarus, slapping an assets freeze and travel ban against two persons involved in the controversial trial of a human rights campaigner.

An EU statement said that "in view of the gravity of the situation in Belarus" it "today reinforced the EU's restrictive measures on those responsible for the continuing repression of civil society, the political opposition and the independent media in Belarus.

It said two persons associated with the trial of leading rights defender Ales Beliatsky would be targeted, bringing to 210 the number of people sanctioned in Belarus.

The assets of three entities linked to the regime also remain frozen while exports to Belarus of arms and materials that might be used for internal repression are prohibited.

The EU late last month slammed the jailing of Beliatsky after a trial based on evidence nations say they were tricked into supplying.

Beliatsky, 49, was detained in August after authorities received information from ex-communist neighbours Poland and Lithuania about bank accounts he held in their countries to support his work at home.

Because of tough restrictions at home, both countries offer a haven for activists from Belarus and their funds. After the arrest, they claimed Belarus had abused tax-information exchange accords and issued formal apologies for cooperating with the regime.

Beliatsky is the leader of the banned "Vyasna" (Spring) human rights group and a leading opponent of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has the ruled ex-Soviet republic since 1994.